


The Enemy of Your Enemy

by burning_nova



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Child Soldiers, Gen, Prompt Fill, Soldiers, The Chaste and Hand
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-05-29 15:19:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6381664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burning_nova/pseuds/burning_nova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: The Hand is in all-out war against the city. The Chaste is the only line of defense, but no one knows who they are plus they're as scary as the Hand is. </p><p>Foggy and Karen make unlikely friends with one of the Chaste's soldiers. Matt, who was basically raised with Elektra as a child soldier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: http://daredevilkink.dreamwidth.org/7552.html?thread=14505600#cmt14505600

Karen toweled her hair as the news report droned on in the background. After several reports of normal crimes, she impatiently began to put on her makeup. “Come on, you piece of shit.” She grumbled to the program. “I have to go to work soon.” 

“-And today’s newest report on the ongoing war between the groups known as the Chaste and Hand, several more people were caught in the cross fires of the groups on fourteenth and sixth avenue late last night. No fatalities were reported but several people were injured in the attack. This is the third attack in the last seven days by the Hand, due to the escalating violence the Mayor is extending curfew and all non essential personnel must be inside by seven o’clock tonight.” 

Karen sighed. Of course. “If you cannot reach your home before the curfew head to a designated safe zone. In uptown Manhattan, the Avengers Tower-“ 

Karen turned off the program. Nothing new there. She sighed and looked out the window. The streets were busy but in a city of eight million people it would take a lot longer for people to evacuate if they wanted to leave. 

Of course there were people like her, who had nowhere to go if they left. No job prospects, no family, no real friends. Or Foggy, she thought, who had lived his entire life in the city and whose parents were small business owners. They were tied to the city by blood and sweat. 

She slipped on her shoes and exited her apartment. Foggy would need help with his cases. She wondered if he had stayed at the offices over night again. The senior partners at Landman and Zack really didn’t care if the associates had to work late and miss curfew. They had set up a ‘safe zone’ for employees. It was much cozier than her apartment but it wasn’t home. 

Foggy had let her know one of the more senior associates, nearly partner, had quit after she hadn’t gone home for more than a week. Her clothing was purchased or delivered to her by the many peons at the offices. Speaking of peons, Karen made sure to pick up Foggy’s dry cleaning and laundry, he might need a change of clothes or maybe he could take them home.

She arrived at the office a few minutes before Foggy entered the office. He looked tired and stiff. So he had spent the night over again. He smiled when he saw her. 

“Karen! Light of my life, it’s good to see you safe and sound this morning!” He was trying for cheerful but it was false. She knew Foggy was probably in a bad mood and trying not to take it out on anyone. She pulled her pick up out and held it to him. 

“Oh, thank you! You have no idea how uncomfortable the company provided clothing is. I think they want me to lose weight. They’re always a bit too tight.” He took a suit and headed to his office. 

A few minutes later he came out. He looked slightly calmer. “You know Marci is taking advantage of the clothing they’re providing. You’d think she liked staying here but it’s only a lie. She’s going home tonight.”

“Unless the building is attacked by ninjas.”

“That happened once.” Foggy said. “Don’t jinx us.”

“I just jinxed us didn’t I?”

“If you did we’ll hear about it in the news.” He grinned. “I finished working on the De Soto case. I get to leave early today.” He corrected himself. “We get to leave early.” 

“Oh, what time?”

“Noon. We get out, eat lunch and maybe have a drink at Josie’s?” He asked. Karen laughed and nodded. She liked Foggy, it wasn’t like drinking with her boss when she was with her. Work Foggy and Friend Foggy were like two different people. 

Noon came thankfully calm and quickly. They took the train to Hell’s Kitchen and walked to Josie’s after a long lunch. The bar was still oddly populated when they got there in the mid afternoon. They drank, and could they drink, but still aware of the curfew they had to meet. 

They left a little after five and headed to Karen’s flat. Foggy was too drunk to make it home safely. Just because there were ninjas running around didn’t mean that the crooks of Hell’s Kitchen respected or followed the curfew. They slept.

Until Karen’s window shattered and a body slid across the floor. Karen screamed as a figure followed. She could barely make him out in the dim light. He stood with two batons by his side, a weapon on his hip, some sort of blade on a chain? She thought. 

“Oh shit, it’s the Devil.” Foggy breathed and pulled her back as the Devil and the Hand’s ninja charged each other. The Devil snarled and beat him with brutal efficiency. He turned toward them. Karen wondered if this was the last thing she was going to see before being beaten to death. Her heart was pounding and she barely heard the man’s words:

“Are you all right?” 

“What?”

“Are you all right? Did the glass from the window hurt you?” Karen shook her head as Foggy replied:

“No. We’re fine. Really. We can just leave. Let you do what you need to do with the body.”

The Devil cocked his head, then he nodded. “Go. There are more of them coming.” they didn’t ask how he knew that just left. They pounded the doors on the floor and evacuated to the basement. From Karen’s apartment the fighting could be heard. 

They waited in the dark, coming out only when the building was quiet as the dead and morning had come. They knew better than to head out before then. The Hand didn’t stay dead. 

The Chaste could keep them down but if there were too many then some were bound to get away.

Karen didn’t sleep that night.


	2. Chapter 2

“Landman and Zack, this is Karen speaking.” Karen spoke into the phone as she read an article about the Chaste-Hand conflict. The reporter, Ben Ulrich, had information on them she hadn’t seen before in any other article. She honestly wondered why no one had picked up on it. 

“-Mr. Nelson?” Karen blinked. She had missed the question. 

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that? The line cut off a moment.”

“Can I set up an appointment with Mr. Nelson? I’m calling on behalf of Mr. Khan, Armistice Khan.” Karen pulled up their client list. Naranbaatar Khan,was the only Khan they had. She checked the aliases, Armistice Khan. He was a frequent client of the firm, but the first time she thought he was working with Foggy. 

“Of course.” She set out the appointment quickly and hoped she got all the details right since her eyes kept heading back to the article. When she hung up she printed it. Karen took out a highlighter and highlighted the information she thought important. 

_These two organizations are shrouded in myth, a mythos that spans centuries. It is clear they are established criminal groups who have existed in mystery for ages_

_When examining the myths it is difficult to differentiate fact from fiction and fiction from fact. Years ago it would seem ludicrous to believe that the rumors that members of Hand live centuries, deathless. However with the emergence of metahumans and aliens it is less of a ridiculous speculation and more of a credible possibility._

_If one thing can be ascertained from the legends, rumors and recent attacks it’s that the only known defense against the Hand is the Chaste. This war, for it cannot be anything more than a war with countless dead on either side, has spanned centuries. Will it end…_

_Fifteen dead and twenty-four missing-_

“Karen!” Karen’s head snapped up. Foggy was standing in front of her, looking exasperated. “I need the Koenig papers.” 

“Oh. Here.” she pulled out the file and handed it to him. He looked at her work. “That doesn’t look like work.”

“It’s not but I thought after last night maybe we should know a bit more about the Hand and the Chaste.” 

“What’s to know? They’re both crazy motherfuckers and one is interested in killing us if they run across us.”

“Or kidnapping us. I looked into this and they kidnap more people than they kill. We could have just disappeared. I don’t want to disappear, Foggy. They’re going to do who knows what to us.” 

“Okay, that’s a legitimate concern but who is they? The Chaste-“

“No, the Hand. The Chaste is never on their side.” Foggy nodded. 

“Okay, so one is crazier than the other. I gotta go to a meeting but Karen, keep working. I know this isn’t – it’s fucked up but we got to keep our heads on straight or they win.”

“You’re right. I’m getting a bit carried away.” She sighed. “I’ll get back to work.”

“Do what you what you want on your down time. I’m not going to hold that against you.” Foggy said, giving his Boss Foggy approval. Karen nodded and pulled up a motion she was drafting for him to review later. 

Around three o’clock the motion was finished. She sent it to Foggy’s inbox for later and made a note to remind him to review it. She looked at her schedule. She was free and didn’t having anything pending. 

She pulled up the information on the Chaste. Who was the Devil? How did anyone even get into an organization like the Chaste? She wondered. She wanted to search LexisNexis but decided against it. Those searches were monitored. 

She typed in “Known Chaste Members” and was surprised to find a webpage dedicated to the members. The website was made by a person not associated by the police or media but clearly they were dedicated. There were photos she hadn’t seen before, shoddy ones but it was better than anything. 

When she saw the descriptions of the members were filled with hyperlinks to reputable news sources she decided to trust it. She had nothing to lose, she could always just read the linked articles if she didn’t think the site was any good.

The first section detailed what they called the holy trinity - the ‘old man’, L, and the Devil. They were the members spotted most in New York. This really meant there were more than five sightings. She sighed and skipped to the Devil. 

The Devil had gotten his name from a bystander overhearing conversation between him and old man. It didn’t detail the conversation but the Devil’s name appeared to have stuck. She saw him referred to that other articles. The old man and L were without defined names or titles. 

Karen shook her head. It really didn’t matter. What were the chances they’d meet again? She paused in thought. She really hoped she hadn’t jinxed herself.

Again.


	3. Chapter 3

The rain pounded the streets. The morning’s commuter crowd did not appear to suffer from the inclement weather. Karen ran down the street, wishing she had packed a bigger umbrella. She sighed as she reached the building of Landman and Zack. Thank God. She shook out her umbrella and entered. 

In the elevator she caught sight of her appearance and resisted the urge to grimace. An attorney eyed her. Great way to make an impression, Karen. Karen made note to clean up as soon as possible. 

When she reached Foggy’s floor she rushed to his office. Her stomach growled. Clean up then bagels. All the bagels with complimentary cream cheese and fruit. And she would break out her creamer to take a cup earlier than her afternoon cup. 

Her fantasies of a complimentary breakfast were skidding to a halt when she saw the blinking light of her phone. The ideation completely vanished when she saw the number of missed calls and settled to dreaming air. Of course she knew what this meant, more irritated clients. 

At this rate Karen would either end up jobless or in Albany. She really hoped they didn’t end up relocating to Albany. She dialed her voice mail and typed in her pass code. She had a lot of people to email and call. 

It only took her twenty minutes. A lot of her messages had been addressed last night. Foggy had CC’d her on several emails and sent her an email of the people she didn’t need to call. Sometimes Karen though she had won the boss lottery. 

A quick clean up and fattening set of bagels with a side fruit on a plate later (she even got a yogurt cup!), Karen began working on her morning reports. 

Foggy came in almost ah hour later, looking sharp and freshly showered while she was looking at the latest updates on the Chaste-Hand conflict. He looked cheerful and commented on the fact. If even more possible, Foggy beamed.

“Karen, I have great news.”

“What?”

“They lifted the curfew!”

“What? When?” She hadn’t been able to listen to the news that morning. Still, how had she missed that? They’d been under curfew for the last few months.

“Yeah, they did a whole press conference this morning on my way to work.”

“Why?” What had Karen missed? She had kept track on the Hand and Chaste activity since their meeting with the Devil. Some days she was practically glued to Twitter as people posted and updated on sightings or attacks. 

“Yeah, there was some sort of bust on the Hand.” He practically shivered with excitement. “I got the inside scoop. My old buddy, Brett Mahoney, works for the precinct and they did a bust. The Chaste gave him, not the precinct, but my buddy Brett some info directly and it turned out good. 

“They found some sort of financing plant and several unconscious Hand members. It was enough that the Mayor thought it was safe to life the curfew. I mean, how many attacks have we had in the past two weeks? Two and those were more like recon from the Hand that was cut off by the Chaste.”

“This wasn’t in the news.”

“No. Like I said, I got an inside scoop. I met up with Brett this morning and we talked.” He made a hand gesture. “Well it’s more like we argued, one upped each other, he called me a soulless lawyer and I called him a donut lackey but we had some serious discussion in there.” He shrugged. Karen laughed. 

“This is wonderful.” She said and she meant it. She couldn’t remember when she had been out past 8 in the last few weeks. The curfew had stayed in effect longer than normal but this, this explained so much. 

She didn’t think the Hand was defeated but God, maybe they were going to leave New York. She felt oddly disappointed. She was never going to be able to thank the Devil or asked him questions she had wondered about. Maybe it was a good thing, it couldn’t be good to wonder so much about those kinds of thing. 

Karen smiled. So much help there on the blog. She looked at the latest update. The Devil and Dick (name unconfirmed) were heard talking about the latest offensive maneuver. Maybe that had been the raid Foggy had talked about. She frowned. But this update had been four days ago. 

She closed the blog. Clearly it was wrong. God knows where they got all the news. A lot of it could be hearsay. 

Right? Karen shook her head and kept working. She could stay out after 8! She was seriously just considering going to a movie theatre and watching a shitty movie because she could. 

After work, Karen made sure to stay out as long as possible. She didn’t watch a movie (seems everyone else had the same idea. Every show she tried to buy tickets for was sold out.). She headed to a bar, drank a little wine and headed home. The streets were crowded until she headed to her apartment. 

Then it got oddly empty. Karen kept glancing around. Should she have taken a cab? She was a block from her apartment when she was pulled into an alley. By a mugger. The kid-man looked crazy, maybe drugs. Maybe it was Karen projecting. 

“Give me your money.” 

“I don’t have any.” Because who carried cash anymore? 

“Give ME YOUR MONEY.” The man growled and Karen struggled to open her purse and just show him. He could take her phone. The knife he held moved closer. 

A chain manifested from the darkness and wrapped into the mugger’s throat. The man gave a choked scream as he was pulled into the darkness and a figure landed with a thump next to him. Karen took a step back, freezing when she saw the Devil. 

He cocked his head. 

“Are you alright?”

“Yes. Thank you.” His head cocked further as if he was considering her. 

“We’ve met.”

“Yeah. You saved me. There was a Hand member in my apartment. The window-“

“I remember now. You and a man were in the apartment. Sorry about the damage.” Karen licked her lips.

“I have insurance. My boss- Foggy, the man who was there- actually paid my deductible. I got everything, better even. “ The man nodded. Then he swayed. “Are you okay?” 

He braced himself against a wall. “Yes. Just a bit tired. I’m fine thought. My mind controls my mind. We’re at War.” His voice had changed from confident to almost monotone at the end. It creeped Karen out.

“Do you want me to help you? My apartment is nearby. You can rest?” She offered, wondering if it was a bad idea. The man sighed and shook his head. It caused him to tipped suddenly. He braced himself against a wall. 

“Okay. That sounds.” Karen looked at the criminal. “good. He’s alive. I don’t kill if I don’t have too.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a big softy.” The man gave a sardonic smile. Karen helped him to her apartment. It was probably a bad idea. Someone was probably recording this and tomorrow she would be swatted. 

The devil entered her apartment through her window (understandable). When he collapsed inside she was worried she would need to explain away a dead body. She walked to him and reached out. He caught her hand. 

She gave an aborted yell. He let her hand go. The Devil groaned and touched his armor. “Do you have any bandages?”

“No. I can-I can get some.”

“Clean sheets?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. 

“Those will do. I reopened some wounds.” His lip curled. “Should have stayed in like my teacher said but I’m stubborn” 

“The Hand is still here?” The Devil laughed. 

“The Hand never left. They’re planning. I led the cops to a laundering front but they have more. So much more. El- She has a better idea of where they are but it’s still a tangled web.” 

Karen couldn’t help but stare when he started to take off his armor. He had a lot of nasty looking cuts on his torso. “Old friend.” He snarled and started to bandage his wounds. 

She saw a twin near his belly. “You fought him before.” 

“Yeah. We all have. His name is Nobu. If you ever meet him run and don’t let him know you know he’s Hand.” He paused his movements. “We’ve lost a lot of good people to him.” He touched the scar. “I couldn’t-My teacher pulled me out.” He shrugged. “It’s old news.” 

“Should you be telling me this?” Karen wondered. The Devil frowned. 

“How much was I saying out loud? Might have a mild concussion.” She nodded in agreement. “Did you just nod?” Karen nodded again and realized he wasn’t looking at her. “Thought so.” He considered her. “Will you tell anyone?”

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

“I wouldn’t- on purpose not the cops. My friend Foggy though – he – we have been through a lot.”

“Anyone else?” 

“No.” He paused.

“Truth. Don’t tell him.” He sounded serious. “I wouldn’t want to hurt you. The others, they would kill you.” Karen shivered. “I really don’t want to hurt you. I don’t- you’re innocent.” 

“Yes. I swear. I won’t.” 

“You’re not lying.” He gave a tired sigh. “Good. Help me, please. I can’t reach the one on the back.” Karen did so. Her hands shook during the entire time. 

By the end she was impressed by how good she had dressed them. The Devil touched his bandages. “Good. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I’m going to rest for a bit.” The Devil said. “Then I’ll head out. Thank you, again.”

“No problem. Thank you for saving me. Again.” Karen said. The Devil hummed an acknowledgment and rested against a wall. Karen waited. She wasn’t sure what she should do, just wait.


End file.
